http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.svdp.org.nz en-us Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:59:01 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/164173/spiritual-reflection--june-2026/ NO LIMIT TO OUR GENEROSITY!Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Lk 6: 38)As I write, we are into the 5th Week of the Easter season. The 1st Reading for this Sunday’s Mass (Acts 6:1-7) brings home the truth that the Church has a two part mission: proclaim the Word of God and feed the poor. For the latter part, Stephen and six others ... Mon, 04 May 2026 21:16:48 +1200 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post164173 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/160135/new-circular-letter-to-svdp-members--31-january-2026/ On the 31 January 2026, the International President General of the Society of St Vincent de Paul  published the 2026 Circular Letter, addressed to all members, collaborators, staff, and volunteers of our global Vincentian family.The Circular Letter is a long-standing tradition within the International Confederation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (CGI/SSVP), serving as the President General’s yearly message of reflection, encouragement, and guidance for ... Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:04:11 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post160135 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/159025/spiritual-reflection--may-2026/ WHEN THE POOR ARE BLOCKING THE DOORWAYSDo ordinary things with extraordinary love(Mother Teresa)As I begin writing this month’s reflection the homeless in our cities have been making the news. They are sleeping in the doorways of our shops and on the streets particularly in Auckland. In the smaller towns the problem exists albeit to a lesser extent. I noticed in my city, they store their belongings in the doorways of empty shops!I’ve had a few issues, regarding pover... Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:16:44 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post159025 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/158031/spiritual-reflection--april-2026/ WHEN SILENCE ONLY WORSENS“While encouraging the development of a better world, we cannot remain silent about the scandal of poverty in its various forms. Violence, exploitation, discrimination, marginalization, restrictive approaches to fundamental freedoms, whether of individuals or of groups: these are some of the chief elements of poverty which need to be overcome. Often these are precisely the elements which mark migratory movements, thus linking migration to poverty” (Pope Francis,... Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:44:27 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post158031 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/158030/spiritual-reflection--march-2026/ FROM ANOTHER ANGLE“The times talk to us of so much poverty in the world and this is a scandal. Poverty in the world is a scandal. In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children, that there are so many children without an education, so many poor persons. Poverty today is a cry.” (Pope Francis, with Students of Jesuit Schools).When Francis says that poverty is a scandal who exactly is scandalized? Has... Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:42:37 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post158030 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/158029/spiritual-reflection--february-2026/ THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAMA way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply to close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table, but above all to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being.(Pope Francis, Address to the Food and Agricultural Organization, 6/20/13).After reading the above statement carefully a couple of times at least, just imagine you are the one entru... Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:14:34 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post158029 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/158028/spiritual-reflection--january-2026/ WHAT IS INJUSTICE?Listen to this, you who trample on the needyand try to suppress the poor of the country.You who say, ‘When will New Moon be over so that we can sell our corn,and Sabbath, so that we can market our wheat?Then by lowering the bushel, raising the shekel,by swindling and tampering with the scales,we can buy up the poor for money,and the needy for a pair of sandals,and get a price even for the sweepings of the wheat.’The Lord swears it by the pride of Jacob,“Never will I forge... Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:08:45 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post158028 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/156234/you-are-my-hope-pope-leo-xivs-message-for-9th-world-day-of-the-poor/ As the Church prepares to mark the Ninth World Day of the Poor on Sunday, 16 November 2025, Pope Leo XIV issues a message centred on the theme: “You are my hope”, and expresses his hope that this Jubilee Year may encourage the development of policies aimed at combatting forms of poverty both old and new.By Linda BordoniDrawing from the Psalms and the lived experience of those suffering poverty, Pope Leo XIV urges Christians to recognise the poor not as objects of charity but as protagonists ... Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:15:55 +1300 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post156234 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/152444/spiritual-reflection--december-2025/ CHRISTMAS IS PREFERRING THE SILENT VOICE OF GODYour all-powerful word leaped from heaven,from the royal throne,into the midst of the land that was doomed,a stern warrior leapt (Wis 18:14).I am writing this month’s message from the hallowed grounds of Southern Star Abbey, the home of Cistercian monks on Kopua Rd, about 25km’s north of Dannevirke. The Monastery sits well back from the road on vast green farmland. Hospitality is offered to all visitors who would like to stay a few days in order... Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:05:23 +1200 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post152444 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/post/152443/spiritual-reflection--november-2025/ DON’T FORGET THE POORWhen the late Jorge Bergolio was elected pope in 2013, a Brazilian Cardinal whispered in his ear “don’t forget the poor”. That story has become well known and if it were engraved into the psyche of each follower of Christ, who knows what might emerge.In the lifetimes of all living today, I doubt if Catholics in general have ever been so conscious of our responsibility to the poor than during the reign of Pope Francis. This came about  through the choice of ... Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:00:13 +1200 http://www.svdp.org.nz/blog/#post152443